Sam Smith was the first African-American person to be elected to the Seattle City Council in 1968 and was on the Council until 1991, chairing many committees and serving as Council President from 1974-1979 and 1986-1989. Smith also served in the Washington State Legislature for five terms, beginning with his election from the 37th district in 1958. He was born on July 21, 1922 in Gibsland, Louisiana but was stationed in Seattle during WWII, and returned to earn his bachelor's degree in Economics at the University of Washington. Smith also worked at Boeing for almost 17 years, before entering politics.
On April 9, 1974, City Light employees walked off the job in protest against City Light Superintendant George Vickery's disciplinary policies. Two days into the walkout, hundreds of City Light employees jammed into the City Council chambers while a committee of six met with Mayor Wes Uhlman and Vickery. The unauthorized strike lasted 11 days, ending when an agreement was reached to review City Light management policies and the proposed suspension of two employees, and to develop a "bill of rights and responsibilities" for City Light employees.
In this photo, City Council president Sam Smith jokes with the striking employees while they await the outcome of the meeting at City Hall.
Caption information source: "Smith, Sam (1922-1995)," by Mary Henry, HistoryLink.org Essay 63. Caption information source: Seattle Daily Times, April 20, 1974, p. 7. Caption information also derived from captions written by Post-Intelligencer staff and attached to the back of the photograph.
